Last weekend I had the pleasure of embarking on an enticing visual journey curated by Van Cleef & Arpels’ interpretation of Noah’s Ark as imagined by famed set designer Robert Wilson. The Parisian designer is known for producing masterful pieces of high jewelry that set a scene for the wearer or admirer. The whimsical figures are expertly produced allowing a person’s focus to shift from execution into intention. What is the story being told through the piece’s movement and color?
To immerse the viewer into the story of Noah’s Ark, Wilson selected an art space in Chelsea New York City, which he transformed into a page out of a children’s story book. As we walked into the space, I needed to lower my head as if I was garnering passage upon a vessel. Once inside I was encapsulated into a serene bluish room whose walls rippled like waves due to projected lighting. Suspended from the ceiling was a wireframe wooden model of an ark, gently suggesting we had set sea and the only place that existed anymore was what was in the room. Within the room were shadow boxes set into the walls beckoning us to peep in on the jeweled creatures inside as if they were residing in a stall on the ship.
What was on view was breathtaking, each animal was coupled with a partner as dictated in the old bible story having them boarded “two by two”. Some jewels were expected, such as colorful sapphires and garnets, but there were unexpected treats on view as well such as snowflake obsidian carved into the likeness of rabbits.
One of my favorite minerals is jasper and I was elated to see it carved into a majestic depiction of resting rams.
Viewers were only given about 20 minutes to view the room, while experiencing light and sound effects articulating heavy rainfall. Needless to say 20 minutes was not enough time for me to take it all in, thankfully the staff was very kind and allowed my friend and I to cycle through again while treating us with a canvas bag containing a booklet explaining the event.
On the second viewing I noticed a little more intention in the way the room was set up. Similar colors and figures were set parallel from each other across the room. Such as the geometrically heavy in design giraffe was set directly across from the similarly colored and set chameleon.
The more polar like animals were set to the back of the room, decadent in pearls.
In the center of the wall a large opal with lively play of color and creatures giving off the illusion of movement.
And the feeling of texture.
The exhibit is on display for another week, more information can be found on the site here.
In celebration of the world renowned exhibit the Van Cleef & Arpels store is also displaying the jeweled creatures, though the same in figure, much different and warmer in hue.
The whole experience was otherworldly, giving a sleepy dreamlike illustration of a familiar story.
